Universal Sets Release Date for Vin Diesel Sci-Fi Flick 'Riddick'

Universal will release Riddick, the third installment of the sci-fi action movie series starring Vin Diesel, on Sept. 6.

The movie also will be released on Imax.

Riddick is an escaped-convict antihero whose exploits were first regaled in 2000’s Pitch Black. The movie proved to be a hit, and a sequel -- blown up to tentpole proportions -- ensued with 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick.

It took several years, but a new movie got underway with the intent to bring the character to his stripped-down roots with a more modest budget. David Twohy has written and directed all three films.

Here is the Riddick logline provided by the studio:

The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty. 

The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.